Regional Bylaws

1.1. The regional structures of the Building and Wood Workers
International (BWI) are established in accordance with the Statutes of
the BWI.

1.2. The regional structures of the BWI will include Regional Conference, Regional Committees and Regional Women's Committees.

1.3. The operation and activities of the BWI regional structures
shall be governed at all times by the BWI Statutes and supplemented by
these Bylaws (approved by the World Council).

Article 2

Purpose and aims

2.1. Regional structures shall be established in the following regions: Africa, Latin America and Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, North America, with the aim of promoting the objectives of BWI in each of these regions.

2.2. In each region a regional action programme, with regional priorities, shall be prepared within the framework of the current budget and the BWI's global action plan.

Article 3

Regional conference

3.1. A Regional Conference shall be convened in each region at least once every four years.

3.2. The Regional Conference shall be composed of representatives from affiliates in the respective region which have paid statutory affiliation fees and are not in arrears.

3.3. Participation at the Regional Conference shall be undertaken in accordance with the BWI Statutes.

a) Affiliated organisations are entitled to bring observers, at their own expense, however the number shall not exceed the number of appointed representatives.

b) Non-affiliated organisations wishing to observe the Regional Conference must receive the approval of the BWI General Secretary.

3.4. The BWI Regional Representative shall inform affiliates of the dates of the Regional Conference and a proposed agenda at least four months before the Conference. Proposals for the agenda from affiliated organisations to the Conference must be sent to the Regional Representative in writing not later than two months before the date of the Regional Conference.

3.5. The agenda of the Regional Conference shall include the following items:

h) Election of the Vice Chair of the Regional Committee from those members who in the first instance had been elected to the Regional Committee

i) Election of the Regional Women's Committee

j) Resolutions and motions

k) Regional Action Plan

3.6. The Regional BWI Vice-President shall chair the Regional Conference. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair of the Regional Committee shall chair the Conference.

3.7. The Chair shall direct the debates, maintain order, ensure observance of BWI Statutes and bylaws, put matters to the vote and declare decisions of the Conference.

3.8. The number of votes held by each affiliate is determined by the average amount of affiliation fees due and paid during the past four years. New affiliates joining the BWI less than four years prior to the Regional conference shall have voting rights based upon the average affiliation fees paid since their affiliation. Each affiliate shall have one vote for every block of 1000 paying members or part thereof.

3.9. The text of any resolution, amendment or motion must be submitted to the chair in writing clearly stating the name of the proposing affiliate.

a) If there are several amendments to a motion or resolution, the Chairperson shall determine the order and manner in which they are to be discussed and disposed, subject to the following provisions:

i. amendments may be voted on either individually or against other amendments, according to the ruling of the Chair;

ii. if the motion or resolution is amended as a result of a vote, that motion or resolution as amended shall be put to a final vote.

b) A member may withdraw an amendment that the member has moved, when the amendment is under discussion or before it has been adopted.

3.10. Where decisions cannot be reached by consensus, voting shall normally be by show of hands or by card vote. A card vote shall be conducted if any delegate calls for it.

Article 4

Regional committee

4.1. The Regional Committee monitors the implementation of the regional action programme and it makes recommendations to the World Board on affiliation issues in accordance with the Statutes and the BWI Affiliation Fee Guidelines.

4.2. The Regional Committee shall be elected by the Regional Conference in accordance with BWI Statutes Article 15 and shall meet once a year in ordinary session.

4.3. The Regional Committee shall consist of 2 representatives per country group as contained in the annex of the Regional Bylaws and the Chair of the Regional Women's Committee. Country groups with more then two representatives in the World Council shall be represented with the same number of representatives as in the World Council.

4.4. Election to the Regional Committee is subject to affirmation by the World Council.

4.5. The representatives of the country groups are elected by the Regional Conference on the proposal from the country groups. For each representative two substitutes shall also be elected. The substitute representatives will attend Regional Committee meetings if the representative is unable to do so and the substitute will have full voting rights. Only one substitute shall attend in place of a representative.

4.6. Vacancies in the Regional Committee arising between Regional Conferences shall be filled by the substitute in line until such time as a representative from the respective country group is appointed, decided by the Regional Committee, in consultation with and on the recommendation from the Country Group and subject to approval by the World Council.

4.7. The dates of the Regional Committee meeting shall be decided in consultation with the members of the Regional Committee and the General Secretary. The BWI Regional Representative shall inform the members of the Regional Committee of the dates and the venue of the Regional Committee meeting.

4.8. Only unions affiliated to BWI shall be eligible to attend the Regional Committee and members of the BWI staff but only members of the Regional Committee may vote.

4.9. The Regional BWI Vice-President shall chair the Regional Committee and in the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair of the Regional Committee shall chair the Committee.

4.10. The Chair shall direct the debates, maintain order, ensure observance of BWI Statutes and bylaws, put matters to the vote and declare decisions of the meeting.

4.11. Where decisions cannot be reached by consensus, voting shall normally be by show of hands or by card vote.

Article 5

Regional vice president

5.1. World Council shall elect the Regional Vice Presidents based on nominations from the affiliates in the regions and in accordance with Article 10 of the Statutes.

5.2. The Regional Vice President shall act as chair of the Regional Committee and Regional Conference.

Article 6

Regional women's committee

6.1. The Regional Women's Committee shall meet once a year.

6.2. The members of the Regional Women's Committee shall be elected at the Regional Conference and endorsed by the World Board.

6.3. The Chair of the Regional Women's Committee and first and second vice-chair shall be appointed by the Regional Committee on the basis of nominations from the affiliates. The Chair of the Regional Women's Committee shall be a full member of the Regional Committee and shall be the member for the region on the International Women's Committee.

6.4. Each Regional Women's Committee shall be comprised of titular members distributed on the basis of sub-regional groups. For each member two substitutes shall also be elected. The substitute representatives will attend Women's Committee meetings if the representative is unable to do so and the substitute will have full voting rights. Only one substitute shall attend in place of a representative.

6.5. Vacancies in the Regional Women's Committee arising between Regional Conferences shall be filled by the substitute in line until such time as a representative from the respective sub-regional group is appointed, decided by the Regional Committee, in consultation with and on the recommendation from the sub regional group and subject to ratification by the World Board.

6.6. The regional Women's Committee shall report to the Regional Committee and to the International Women's Committee.

6.7. Meetings of the Regional Women's Committee will be open to observers.

6.8. The Regional Women's Committee shall have a mandate to advise the Regional Committee on affirmative action programmes, education, campaigns and other measures to promote women's effective integration.

Article 7

Reports and minutes

7.1. The Regional Representatives shall be responsible for the minutes and reports of all regional committee meetings and conferences.

7.2. All decisions, resolutions, recommendations and motions of the Regional Structures shall be submitted to the World Board for endorsement. Decisions, resolutions, recommendations and motions relating to the development of new policy shall also be referred to the World Council for adoption.

7.3. The minutes and reports of all regional meetings and conferences shall be made available to affiliates within the region.